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Buffalo Bills make Forbes' list of 50 most valuable sports franchises

A Tour of Ralph Wilson Stadium and its $130-millon Facelift

Inside the stadium new seats are being installed. The media was given a tour of the $130 million renovation project at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Thursday May 29, 2014. Renovations at the home of the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park is expected to be finished by the start of the August preseason games. Photo by Staff Photographer Stephen D.
Cannerelli | scannerelli@syracuse.com
(Stephen D. Cannerelli)

The Buffalo Bills are up for sale, and there's a reason some big names are reportedly interested in putting in a bid on the franchise.

Forbes released its list of the 50 most valuable sports franchises in the world, and the Bills made the list at No. 47. Forbes estimated the value of the Bills at $870 million and noted that founder and late owner Ralph Wilson bought the team for $25,000 back in 1959.

While the Bills made the list, it's worth noting that 30 of the 32 NFL teams made the list, and the Bills were the lowest of the group. The only NFL teams that did not make the list were the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Oakland Raiders.

If nothing else, Forbes' list shows just how valuable an NFL team is at the moment. With potential buyers just starting to leak, the asking price for the Bills is still up in the air. It's reasonable to expect the Bills to approach if not pass that $870 million figure, though. Back in 2011, Shad Khan bought the Jaguars for $770 million.